davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Story for Druggists.

a prominent Mediterranean tells the
following story: sit was about three
months ago when l got a prescription
from a well known doctor, which called
for five grains of opium, to be taken in a
mixture, as directed. For fear of acct
dents | put the stuff in a poison bottle,
and told the nurse who came for it to
be sure and use it for outward applica-
ton only. She went off, and presently l
got a strong note from the doctor, order
ing me to put up the prescription as
directed, and not interfere with his in
structions, which were tablespoon doses
every three hours. AS had no wish to
kill a patient and ruin the doctor, |
changed the five grain dose to one-tenth
of IA grain, and sent of the medicine.
Presently the doctor came in, white with
anger.
"Damme, sir! when l send a prescrip-
ton don't you dare to interfere with it?'
he roared.
"'Eut suppose you had made a mis-
take2' said; II suppose you did not
want to kill the woman
Then | showed him his order for five
grain doses, and called his attention to
the fact that "a fifth Of that would kill.
Ibid you send up the stuff" he
asl.ed, pale with fright.
Indeed I did, answered. What
could l do after your peremptory order?
Then the only thing for me to do is
to get up to the undertaker's and claim
commission. l guess I'll need all the
money! al .E1t now he said, as Lt
dashed off at full speed"
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Lesson for Sarah.

When our young friend first left hel
country home, with its quiet, simple
ways, for a year in a fashionable board
ing-school, she signed her name Sarah
Jane Smith, and took no offence at be-
ing called Sally. Three months later her
letters came home signed 'tsadie ].
Smith" Six months elapsed, and she
had become IS. jamie Smlthe,n Time
rolled along bringing in lbs wonderful
changes, and when the June days came
she blossomed forth as rs. JEANNE
smythe.n Then her father hitched his
old blind horse to the vegetable cart, and
said: "Im goin' to bring that there Sal
home, an, let Ter know that she can't
bring ojeum on the good old name %
Smith by ringin' in any more y and e
changes on it. They can't no body say
a word o. harm agin my branch Q the
Smith family. I'm proud o it, an glad
I'm one of 'em. reckon a month % hard
work in tater time IL let sary Jane
know that J-a-n-edon't spell no Jennie
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
The Good Book.

Contrary to orders, Bobby had taken
the family Bible from the parlor table,
where it was carefully kept, and by the
time he got through with it the signs of
wear and tear were painfully apparent.
For this act of disobedience he received
a severe whipping, and was sent supper
less to bed.
1T is a source of great qualification to
me" said the minister, who was making
a call that same evening, as he lifted the
book from the table and discovered its
condition, ito find in this household, at
least, the Bible is not neglected. It is
too often the case, | regret to say, that
the contents of the Good Book remain
uusought. But | am pleased, Mr.. Smith,
to know" that ''you find consolation in
its pages"
Mr.. Smith devoutly acknowledged the
pleasure and profit he derived from its
frequent study, and after the minister
left he took up to Bobby a glass of milk
md a large slice of bread and butter with
nm on it.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Broomstlck se~1ect,on.

Said a patriarch to his daughter: "a
place for everything, and everything in
its place" Then to his son: aSelect a
wife, my son, that will never step over a
broomstick." The son was obedient to
the lesson. Now" said he pleasantly
on a jolly holiday, to of his guests,
81 appoint that broomstick to choose
me q wife. The young lady who will
not step over it, shall have the offer of
my hand.n They passed from the splen-
did salon to the grove; some stumbled
over the broomstick, and others passed
over it. At length, a young lady stopped
and put it in its place. The promise
was fulfilled; she became the wife of an
educated and wealthy young man, and
he the husband of a prudent, 1ndustri-
Gus and lovely He brought a
fortune to her and she knew how Il save
one. Isl. Louis Magazine.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
ReYenee ntthe Altar Rain.

There was a young man at Wil1enhall,
In Staffordshire, with a sense of humor.
A year ago he offered his hand and heart
to a local beauty; but the lady declined
the articles. The Staffordshire wooer
vowed revenge. They say that any nan
can marry a woman if he is only persis-
tent enough. At any rate, this sutton
managed to prevail over the obdurate
fair. She ~consentedSo the union. The
banns were put up and everything done
In proper style; and on the appointed
day bridegroom and bride stood before
the altar. But when the clergyman
asked the former if he would have that
woman to be his welded wife, he was
answered by. an emphatic mo" That
was the bridegroom's return '~'score" for
The damsel's haughtiness a year ago. 1t
@as effective, doubtless; but the exam
ole is not to be commended for imita-
lion. It will become awkward if
churches are to be used not only for the
,olemnization Of marriage, but for the
public punishment of %..slovers' peljuries. +"
st. Lmess Gazette.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A secure Refuge for Criminals.


In the Island of Formosa nature her.
self has formed a fortified home for
bloodthirsty criminals. Formosa is an
island about ninety miles off the coas.
China, from which country it is separa-
ted by the channel of Foiken. 1t was
unknown to the Chinese until the year
of 1908, and in 1854 the Dutch estab-
lished a settlement there, but after %
years of peaceful residence they were
expelled by the famous rebel Coxinga,
whose successors ruled the island until
1858, when the Chinese took full possess
sion. Then the population was from
z, 600, 900 to 8, 900, 900; now it has dwin-
died down to a little more than 100, 900.
Although only $50 miles long and 50
miles in breadth, nothing is known-by
civilized beings-of the interior portion,
for it is inclosed by an enormous vol
canic range, and it is within this that all
the aborigines now herd together.
These natives have a slender form,
olive complexion, long hair, and blacken
their teeth. They have no written Ian
guage, and their religion is confined to
a superstitious belief in demons and sor-
cerers. No wonder her that they arc
easily governed by some Of the more adj
yanced descendants of the rebel Coxinga,
many of whom have taken up their
abode with them, and a wild and dcs-
perate life they lead. They take advan-
tage of the asylum offered by this belt
of country to make organized .xpedi-
tions therefrom for purposes Of pillage,
and even go so far as to earrangc defen-
sive operations against the dwsllers on
the seacoast as a pretext for the levying
money. More than 1000 cases of murder
are committed by these people every
| year, and the Chinese authorities arc
completely set at defiance.
The mountainous nature of the coun-
try and the large numbers to be dealt
with preclude all success Of the Chinese
soldiers against hem. The brigand'
know every loophole, and can get out
side, whereas the others are unable e
/ find their way in. The policy Of tn
present governor Of Formosa seems to b
to draw all the natives outside and ava.
from their associates. This plan ha
partly succeeded, but there are still Q
least 100, 900 natives leagued with brig
ands. and natures lofty volcanic wall
still remain 4 fortress impossible to storm
but easily held by these r~ed-handed dcs
neradoes.-San Francisco Cal.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Queer Citu.

A recently arrived Hibernian said of
New York: ''It is a quare city where
they copper-bottom the tops of the
houses wild sheet lead" He was right,
lin6zes the correspondent of the Bos-
todhf efR5earas lie iis e queer city and for
many more reasUrstsaIs aSaAesntea
acteristically given, 'Ms 4s]nsta -
Mrs. Purseproud are entertaining their
friends amid the splendors of their Fifth
avenue palace, Mrs. Squalor is hitting
her drunken husband over the head with
a broken pitcher in their little den on
the toBsfoor of a South Fifth avenue
tenement house. While a handful of
Christians at a prayer meeting exclaim,
''It is good for us to be here,' a dozen
wretches crouch in the cherries cells of
Murderers' row in the Tombs, awaiting
the hour when they shall be hanged by
the neck until they are dead. Dives is
here, wearing his purple and fine linen
and faring s~umptuously every day; and
Lazarus lies at his gate, full of sores and
desiring to be fed with the crumbs.
A great man dies, is buried the next day,
and the third day is forgotten. Half a
dozen disappointed, heart-sick beings
end their own lives in a single day, and
little or no ate 1tion is paid to them,
Dishonest officials get into power, and
the people are SO busy earning a living
or boarding up wealth that they seem
to care not q whit how much is stolen
from the public treasury. The richest
man in the world dies, and when his
body is removed from the receiving vault
TO the magnificent mausoleum, which fan
surpasses that built by Artemisia of old,
private detectives, armed tooth and
nail, walk beside it, forfear that it might
be stolen, Yes, it is a queer city, and
New York life, when analysed is passing
/ STRANGE.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
Mourning and Color.

Black expresses the privation of light
and JOY, the midnight gloom for the loss
sustained. The color of mourning IN
Europe. It was also the color of mourn
ing in ancient Greece and in the Roman
Empire.
Black and white striped means sorrow
and hope. The mourning of the South
Sea Islanders.
Grayish brown, the color of the earth
TO which the dead return. It is also the
color of mourning in Ethiopia.
Pale brown, the color of withered
leaves. The mourning of Persia.
Sky blue expressed the assured hope
that the deceased is gone to heaven.
The color of mourning in Syria, Cappa-
docia and Armenia.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
Hast and Animal Defornsttses.

In view of the frequency of malfor-
nation in men, it is remarkable that SO
little attention has been paid to deformi-
ties in other animals and in plants. In
deed, the most of the strange forms seen
in vegetable growth Of which we have
knowledge are the effect of weather or
other accident after the plant has ap-
peared above the ground.
This, however, does not signify much,
for botanists regard a plant or a tree as
a community, each bud having its W
individuality and semi-separate exist
n Hence what we are to look for is
deformed branches, twigs and leaves.
Not long ago an elaborate paper was
read before q scientific society on cats
having an unusual number of toes. Per-
fectly formed cats have five toes on each
fore paw and four on each hind paw.
The facts presented in the paper referred
to showed that nearly or quite two
thirds Of all the descendants of q p%artic-
ular cat had more than tho normal
supply.
In some cases the malformed pussy had
one extra toe on each paw, or twenty
two in all, instead Of eighteen. Other
cats had five OF each of the four paws;
and still others twelve on the two fore
paws, and only eight on the other two.
There are now on exhibition in Lon
don, at the South Kensington Aquari-
UNI. two deformed fishes. One is a
trout, three years old, whose tail is bent
SO that it stands at q right angle with its
body. The other is q s~tickleback, 50
swollen in the centre of its body By drop
81, that ii has the shape Of q mouse rath'
er than that of d fish, outh's Com
arra5a1a
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
- THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
Earnche I'm Children.

An experienced physician recommends
the following liniment for the earache
that children SO often suffer with in cold
weather: Take of camphorated choral
2 IL parts, pure glycerine Is IL parts,
and the oil of sweet almonds 10 parts.
This is to be well mixed aud preserved
in a Theoretically closed bottle. A
pledget of very soft cotton is to be
soaked in the linimcnt, and then intro
duced as far as possible into the affected
ear, two applications being made daily.
Frictions may also be made each day
with the preparation behind the ear. 1t
is claimed that the pain is almost i'm,
mediately relieved.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A SURGICAL FEAT.
Delicate Operation on a Young
Italian Woman,
Mailing Two Bones Together With Silver
Spikes Saves a Life.

When suppuration originates from
disease Of the bones in the knee Joint and
has disorganized the delicate lining
membrane Of the joint, and the bones
themselves have become carious at their
artisulaf surfaces, a cure can only be
effected in two ways. The first, p~ractic-
ed by all surgeons a few years ago, was
the removal of the leg by a%mputation;
the other, which recent progress in sur
gical science has suggested, is excision
of the joint. Amputation is always at
tended with extra great danger in cases
Of suppuratiye joint diseases, and was
seldom undertaken except te save life
when from the great physical strain,
death seemed imminent.
Excision of the knee joint is an opera
ton that promises to damage the bust
ness of the wooden-leg manufacturer.
When it was proposed a few years ago it
met very great opposition from surgeons
who tried it without success, but all adj
mitted that the operation was not so
much the cause of failure in their cases
as the after treatment. OF late years the
discovery of antiseptic and of the blood
less method Of operating ia these cases
has changed all this, and patients who
would have lost their legs in the old
manner are now being treated success
fully in the new. -
A case is now being treated by DR..
McBurney at Bellevue Hospital. The
patient, a girl aged about twenty, is an
Italian, with the face of a Madonna.
She was shown by DIR. McBurney at his
clinic Thursday. She entered the hos
pital several weeks ago, and after treat
ing her with a view to improving her
general condition as much as possible she
was operated on. After being etherized
her leg was rolled tightly within a
rubber bandage, leaving the limb blood
less. An i~ncision was then made at the
knee, and the joint having been freely
exposed by the division of the lateral
ligaments the pattela, or knee-pan. was
removed. All the diseased tissues were
taken out and the carious parts of the
bones cleaned away.
About an inch was sawed from the
top of the tibia, or leg bone, and a like
piece was taken from the femur, OF
thigh bone. Both bones were then place.
with their cut ends together and nailed
firmly in place with two large silver.
plated spikes. The wound was then
closed and dressed antiseptically and the
dressing was not removed until complete
union had taken place between the
bones, four weeks after the operation.
when the dressing was removed and thu
spikes were Withdrawn from the bone,
The patient showed great courage and
stood the pain unflinchingly. She ha'
made rapid recovery and will leave thu
hospital in afew days.-NeW York World
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
LADIES,
=. clevelana,s Correspondents.

49, NtESs
Mrs. Cleveland gets almost as many
letters as the President. Most of them
arc from persons of her own sex, and
contain advice and suggestions on
almost every subject under the sun. Mrs.
Cleveland does not reply to letters any
more. She did, in the early days of her
marriage, answer several, but they were
Immediately given to the press, and SO
she stopped. She says many Of her
letters just now are from temperance
women, containing warnings against the
use of wine, but as she seldom tastes
anything but water she scarcely con-
siders the advice necessary. She says
she on hit to make a good housekeeper,
as a large proportion Of her volunteer
correspondents tells her how the White
House should be managed.-Bahiaore
SIN.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
new Remedtes for Burns.

Two new remedies for burns are added
to the list; the first is charcoal. Apiece
of vegetable charcoal LAID IN a burn at
once soothes the pain, says the G zette
Medicale, and if kept applied for an
hour cures it completely the second one
is sulphate of iron; this was tried by M.
Joel in the Children sHospital, Lausanne.
In this case, a child, four years of
age had been extensively burned, suppur-
alton was abundant and so offensive that
they ordered the child a tepid
bath, containing a couple of
pinches of sulphate of iron.
This gave immediate relief to the pain,
and being repeated twice a day-twenty
minutes each bath-the suppuration de-
creased, lost its odor, and the child was
soon c~onvalescent.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
The Fruit to Lfue Or.

seWhat's the matter with you, BroWnS
You seem to be oil broken up lately"
sT'm terribly ont Of sorts. think I
must be troubled with dyspepsia. I'd
eivs the world for your health. How
do you manage IL, old fellowa'
II i've altogether upon fruit
tsOn fruita That wouldn't do for me
" alI. Fruit doesn't agree with me I
sThat's just where you aro installer,
mv bov. The sort Of fruit 4 use Is Just
What you need. = would bring you
around Id no time.
!. sEhat aoTsof fruit Il ita'
aThe frnit 1T industry DetTes'
aesFa
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
4 society for Maiden Ladies.

The Danes have a society unlike those
ef any other people we know. It is
rnown as tsThe Maiden Assurance So
siety," Its aim is to provide for a class
single women of Well-to-do families.
It shelters and cares for them, and fur
dishes them with npin money" Its
methods are thus described: As soon
is a girl child is born to him the father
snreils her name in a certain association
lud pays a certain sum, and thereafter a
liked sum to the society. When she has
cached the age OF, we believe, 81, and
j not married, she becomes entitled to a
liked income and to a suite of apartments
n a large building of the association,
With gardens and park about it, inhab-
ted by other young or older ladies who
have thus become members. If her
lather dies in her youth and she desires
Y, she has shelter in this building, and
TIA fixed TING her own income. When
he dies or marries all this right to in
,olhe lapses, and the 3 money paid in
.gwellg the endowment of the association.
Her father may pay for twenty years
md then her marriage cuts off all adj
gantages Of the insurance. But this very
shance must enable the company to
harge lower annual premiums, and make
lie burden less on the father insuring.
he has any way, the pleasant feeling
hat his small annual payments are in
aring his daughter $ future, and giving
lei 4 comfortable home and income af-
eFhe has gone. It's obvious that tho
shaDces for marriage among a given
lumber Of women can be calculated as
Aosely IS those Of death. The plan has
worked well for generations in Copen-
lsgen.-PAreaologicat Journal
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Chance for Health

Is afforded those fast sinking into a condition
of hopeless debility. The means are at hand.
In the form of a genial medicinal cordial, Hos
letters Stomach Bitters embodies the COM
bined qualities of a blood fertilizer and de-
purent, a tonic and an alternative. While it
promotes digestion and assimilation, and
stimulates appetite, has the further effect of
purifying the life current and strengthening
the nervous system. As the blood grows richer
and purer by its use, they who resort to this
sterling medicinal agent, acquire not only
vigor, but bodily substance. A healthful
change in the secretions is effected by it, and
that sure and rapid physical decay, which a
chronic obstruction of the functions of the
system produce, is arrested. The prime causes
of d seese be ng removed. health is speedily
renovated and vigor restored.
A poultry exhibition-A woman stoning q
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
Avoid Op!ates.

The -Manyfacturers' Gazette, we be-
lieve, speaks candidly when it says that
the increasing use of opiates and other
drugs intended to either allay or excite
nervous activity is an evil in this country
equal to if not worse than the excessive
use of intoxicating liquors. Compare
lively little is said of it in public jour-
nails, and there is no such crusade
against it as there is against intemper-
ance. The insiduousness of the drug
habit makes it the more dangerous. The
great majority of those who begin the
use of opium, morphine and chloral do it
under prescription of physicians, and
often without being allowed to know
what they are taking until the habit is
thoroughly fastened upon them. Such
trifing with life and health by physi-
clans should be made q criminal ~offeuse,
and its victim or his friends should
prosecute for NAL practice to the full ex-
tent of the law. It is a safe rule to take
DO medicines from any except those
known to be trustworthy; and no ply
sician is trustworthy who refuses to in.
form patients of possible danger from
the drugs he may prescribe. So many
have been wrecked in this way that the
old secrecy about the composition Of
medicines is out of place, at least to the
extent of informing patients that they
are taking nothing liable to bind them
in the hopeless slavery of some drug
habit. - Scientific american.
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
IN 4 Gcrman Cookery-school.

Schools Of cookery are a comparatively
ycent Institution, and one of the first
vas established in 1879 BY two sisters
FAMED Kux at Hanover. Before this
time the German girls of the better
classes finished their education In the
higher branches of the culinary art at
3ae Of the principal hotels or inns in.
their native towns, after having been
taught the elements Of cookery at home.
Since then the German Frauen Vereine
hayeundertaken the important task Of
giving 10 girls Of all classes on portuni
tiss to acquire i practical knowledge Of
hoasewifery genererally, and Of cooking
specially. The Hanover School OF
Cookery commenced witha few pupils,
ahose parents resided ID the town, but
now patronized by the best families OF
Me neighboring cities and provinces,
slFls being sent thence even from distant
ssxony aud Thuringia.
The course extends over four months
III amateur pupils. and over six months
professional cooks. Each pupil has
pay twenty marks (e1 per month fol
Instruction, and II desired 4 be 40.
osamodated With board and lodging IN
ate house of the Sisters Kux.
He ter superintend personally the
ion ID The theory and practice d
ab +. With tic aldsof the newest and
RppfoYea kiEehen gaEgea labDF'
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
4 souq That Prevented a Riot.

Thomas Mast, the artist, visiting Den
Vel. was talking the other day about the
night Of Mr.. Lncoln's Inauguration.
he said that every one feared q riot. a
man stepped out on d balcony Of q Of
the Bio hotels, and began to sing THE
star snanplcd Banner a crowd gath
cred. and soon the chorus wa sWelled BIZ
1 thousand voices. The strain was re-
lievsd. and Washington was itself again.
aThe s.ar spsnglaa ReupeF' saYed IL
]aea Messl
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
Let Rei. Sob.

First Farmer. "You say you can't
take forty dollars for that cowa"
Second Farmer. stCan't do it.n
"But yesterday youtoIe me you'd sell
her for forty dollars"
ST know / did, but I'll have to back
out"
aWhat's the matter?'
"Yol see that ccw belongs to my
wife, and she says she win cob herself
into hystericsi if I sell her. It would
break her heart"
s.AH right-it'sno trade
aIsay.n
ssWell, what is itq"
MAKE it forty-five dollars. and wen
let her sob.n
The Opelousas courier., 1887-02-12
A Word About Bustles.

If women were in reality fashioned in
the old and Characteristic style they pre-
tend they would be monumental incon-
gruities. Nothing more ridiculous on
The face of the earth could be devised,
nothing more offensive to every eye OF
taste, to every suggestion Of symmetry,
TO eyery school of beauty.